Blindfold
by bakaneko0518
Summary: When asked about the blindfold, Lelouch simply stated he had lost it in the war. LuluxShirley post series oneshot.


_**Author's Note:**_ Wow I can't believe I'm actually posting something o.O;; Anyway, due to lack of LuluxShirley fanfics here I've been wanting to remedy that by posting a LuluxShirley themed drabble, but I got inspired to write this particular one-shot. Maybe I'll turn this into a post-series drabble someday, though I think it works just fine by itself. We'll see. Enough rambling about that... please feel free review and critique where necessary as I'm sure there's grammar errors that I missed.

_Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass or Lelouch, Nunnally and Shirley. _

* * *

Lelouch was a sinner; there was no doubt about that. If one were to weigh his sins against his good deeds, he didn't question for a second that his sins would outweigh the good. The sins he had committed within the past couple of years were atrocious and innumerable, and although he had sinned, the peace that now embraced an Independent Japan seemed to negate the transgressions of the past.

Well, _almost_ all of them.

The Black Prince let his gaze fall to red head that slumbered beside him. He watched her enlarged belly rise and fall with her breath, and took in the serene look of her relaxed features as her eyes moved underneath her eyelids. Unconsciously he began twisting the gold ring around his left ring finger, signaling his troubled thoughts. It was quiet moments like this that Lelouch thought of his past transgressions, and thought of the present, and wondered how he could have been as blessed as he was now.

He had killed her father, and had taken away her memories. He took her pain onto his own shoulders so she wouldn't have to. His feelings for her, that was so much more than that of a friend, had hit Lelouch like a ton of bricks in that instant. When she had looked into his eyes that night, looked at him like a _complete stranger_, it hit him.

He loved her, and he had lost her.

It was all for the best though, he had told himself. No one should have to carry that burden, especially her. It bugged him that C.C. had been aware of his feelings before he had, and teased him for it even after he had lost her, but eventually Lelouch had begun to loose himself to Zero, to his Geass, and he grew numb to the feelings, to _any _feelings.

But then Shirley wouldn't let him forget her.

Even with her memories gone, she made sure to be a constant in his life. Of course Lelouch kept trying to push her away; he was falling ever deeper into the power of his Geass everyday, slowly being corrupted by it. She had known he was Zero, but that didn't seem to stop her at all. No, if anything, it had fuelled her resolve. Shirley was there the moment Lelouch felt himself slipping away forever, felt himself totally embracing Zero and his Geass, and she had brought him back. She brought Lulu back.

To this day Lelouch couldn't explain it- how her feelings for him had returned in such a short span of time, and how strong they were for him. When the war ended, and an Independent Japan was now free of Brittainian influence, he passed on his leadership to someone else. By that time, he had explained everything to Shirley of their past, and why he had taken her memories. He told her everything, and although she was very, very angry with him, she still stayed by his side.

When he had fulfilled his contract with C.C., he moved far away from Tokyo to the country with Nunnally and Shirley, and took on a teaching job in the small school that the country town had. His days were spent teaching and watching over Nunnally and Shirley's happiness, and honestly Lelouch wouldn't have had it any other way. Sometimes he felt undeserving of such contentment.

A soft sigh disturbed his musings and recollections and watched as Shirley buried her head into the pillow. _She'll be waking up soon… _Lelouch thought and then, ever so quietly, got out of bed and walked over to their dresser. He dressed into casual attire and opened a small, ornate jewelry box that resembled one his mother used to have. Mauve orbs met with a simple black cloth. He took the cloth out and placed it over his left eye. Lelouch tied it particularly tight and quickly observed himself in a mirror, to make sure it covered the entire eye. When asked about the blindfold by his students, or people in town, Lelouch simply stated he had lost it in the war.

In the beginning of their relationship, and after the war had ended, Lelouch had vowed not use the Geass ever again. And although there were times when he was severely tempted to, especially when he gambled or when his students would act up during class, the Black Prince would remember Shirley's blank stare on that night so long ago, and Nunnally's whispered words, _"Please, oni-chan, please don't ever leave me." _He found this a very effective remedy to the temptation.

Shirley sighed again and attempted to curl into a fetal position, but her enlarged belly kept her from doing so. Frustrated the unconscious woman groaned then rolled back into a supine position. Lelouch chuckled and then affectionately rubbed his wife's belly.

It wouldn't be too much longer until the baby was born. Nunnally was so excited for the arrival of her niece or nephew, and by now Shirley, although happy about the child, just wanted to have it _out._ When they had found out about the pregnancy, Lelouch had been scared he would repeat his own mistakes and _that man's_ mistakes, but over time Shirley had convinced him otherwise, that he would make a wonderful and loving father. Lelouch was surprised himself how fast he had fallen in love with the unborn child, and though he would never admit it to anyone, he had almost been moved to tears the first time he had felt it move.

Once, Lelouch had spoken to Shirley of all his thoughts about his sins, about what he had done to her father and her memories, how she could still have married him despite all that. Shirley had just smiled at him, the smile he loved so much, and recounted to him what her father had told her when she was a child. If she loved a man, and he truly loved her as well, then her father would be happy and support them whole-heartedly.

"_Besides,"_ Shirley had said, "_the Geass didn't work on me, Lulu. It didn't work because I still loved you."_ It was meant as a joke, because the Geass did work, but Lelouch didn't want to take any chances at all, and had even insisted on wearing the blindfold to bed. Shirley of course told him how silly this was, and convinced him not to. "_I go to bed earlier than you anyway,"_ she had told him, "_so there's really no point._"

Hand still resting on her abdomen, Lelouch bent down and softly kissed Shirley on the lips. "Thank you for saving me, Shirley," Lelouch whispered to her, and then left the room to help Nunnally out of bed, failing to notice the small smile that had appeared on Shirley's face.


End file.
